JAM-KE-KHELO

          

Image Credit—Indian Super League.

As an Indian football fan, I grew up supporting clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid. However, deep down I used to feel it would have been so wonderful if my own province had a world-class football team. After all, how can one not love his birthplace and want it to succeed at every level? The dream did become a reality in 2017 when it was announced that Jamshedpur FC would be competing in the Indian Super League season. The happiness was on another level. My state has a club now, and we will be fighting not only in the top tier of Indian football but also for a place in the Asian Championships.

The club performed well on the domestic level but failed to capitalize in the crunch moments. Eventually, in 2022, after defying all odds, we became the champions of the shield and were in for the Asian race now. It felt that our moment had come. But no one knew that 4 years later the club would become a matter of the past.

Jamshedpur FC has been dissolved, with its ownership and sporting license transferred to Churchill Brothers FC. The financial burden took over the club, which made them sell their stakes. It is a known fact that Indian football is going through one of its darkest phases. The uncertainty and monetary losses have pushed clubs to the brink of closure. Though I never expected my club would be the first major victim because of Tata's ownership.

However, the unexpected has happened, and my club is gone. My players gave their best in the last outing wherein they went down fighting in the quarterfinals of the Durand Cup against mighty Mohun Bagan. Sadly we won't see them play again.

A LETTER TO FATHER FROM HIS SON

 

Image Credit—CNN Sports.

The last few days have been very tough for Lionel Messi. Losing one's father is an irreplaceable loss, and may God give Leo the strength to recover from the same.

Moreover, the tribute paid by Messi to his father is something that can make an individual emotional. Hence, we have reposted the letter on this blog. 

𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫-

Dad, I still can’t believe that you’ve gone. I don’t fall, or rather, I don’t want to fall. It’s very hard for me to imagine that I’m not going to see you anymore; we’re not going to talk anymore. I know you were suffering and that it’s for the best, but you left too soon. We still had a lot left to enjoy together.

You asked me so much to play in the last World Cup, and it was in the days just before it started that you got the worst. It was the first time you weren’t going to be at a tournament, but Mom told me that you were going to get better and that you’d be well enough to travel.

I told you we were going to reach the final so you could travel.

Every time a match ended, I waited for and missed your message.

That’s when I realized the situation was really bad. Even so, I didn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible to buy you time and so you could see a match.

We reached the final, and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t; my legs wouldn’t give any more. This time I tried to go against my body, but I couldn’t. I never managed to feel good.

When I arrived, you thought we had lost the final on penalties. We couldn’t talk about any of everything that happened. You couldn’t enjoy anything. We weren’t champions, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every single match. Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play it.

I don’t know what I’m going to do without you; I don’t know how to go on. I only played football, and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the beginning; there was so little left until the end. Why couldn’t you hold on that little bit more so we could finish together?

I’m going to miss you a lot, but you’ll always be present.

Rest in peace and look after us from above the way you did down here. Thank you for everything.

I love you, Dad. ❤️